Kentucky woman's shooting by county cop under review

Jul. 21, 2014
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Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Crawford has been assigned as special prosecutor in the case involving the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old woman by a Boone County sheriff‚??s deputy. Here, pictured in 2010, Crawford presents the prosecution's closing argument in a jury trial against Keith Gabbard, who was charged with wanton murder in the death of Pendleton Commonwealth's Attorney Doug Wright. Gabbard was allegedly driving a bobtail semi-truck drunk when he collided with Wright's car in June 2009. / The Enquirer/Patrick Reddy

by Carrie Blackmore Smith, The Cincinnati Enquirer

by Carrie Blackmore Smith, The Cincinnati Enquirer

CINCINNATI -- A Kentucky special prosecutor ‚?? with a history of arguing high profile cases -- has been assigned to review the death investigation of Samantha Ramsey, who was shot by a Boone County Sheriff's deputy as she left a field party nearly four months ago.

Boone County Commonwealth's Attorney Linda Tally Smith made an official request not to review the case because of a conflict of interest, said Daniel Kemp, spokesman for Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway.

Special prosecution requests are common in Kentucky, with 651 requests made by county and commonwealth's attorneys from July 1, 2011 to July 30, 2013, Kemp said. Even when a special prosecutor takes the case, though, it's not a signal of guilt.

Ramsey's family has retained Gary Franke, an attorney who argues federal civil cases in both Ohio and Kentucky as its legal counsel.

Franke did not return a call for comment Monday, but said recently that the family is declining to comment until the investigation is complete.

Brockman has hired Attorney Jeff Mando to represent him in any civil suit the family may file, Mando confirmed.

Crawford did not return a request for comment Monday afternoon, therefore it is unclear whether he is already reviewing the case.

In late April, Ramsey, 19, a preschool teacher, was attempting to drive away from a field party along the Ohio River with three passengers in her car, when Brockman tried to stop her to determine whether she was impaired.

The deputy said Ramsey didn't stop and struck him with her Subaru, throwing him onto the hood of her car, according to a statement Brockman made to his supervisor.

Hanging onto the hood, Brockman said Ramsey stepped on the gas, and fearing for his life, he fired into the windshield, killing her at the scene.

At least one of Ramsey's passengers has contested the deputy's story, saying Ramsey did not hit the deputy, but that the deputy jumped onto the hood of her car.

In May, Smith convened a panel of veteran officers to oversee the Boone County Sheriff's internal investigation into Ramsey's death after public outcry that the case should be reviewed by outside investigators. Sheriff Michael Helmig made a request for the Kentucky State Police to review the case five days after the shooting, but KSP declined, saying the scene and evidence had been "compromised."